Combined self-locking sash balance and sash guide device



May 18, 1965 w. LOVE 3,183,559

COMBINED SELF-LOCKING SASH BALANCE AND SASH GUIDE DEVICE Filed Feb. 6,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l WINVENTOR.

6020a m LOVE.

ATTOIPA EB BYEWVW May 18, 1965 G. w. LOVE 3,183,559

COMBINED SELF-LOCKING SASH BALANCE AND SASH GUIDE DEVICE Filed Feb. 6,1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II I" I T INVENTOR. 60km h. LOVE able upon theopen market.

United States Patent 3,183,559 COMBINED SELF-LOCKING SASH BALANCE ANDSASH GUIDE DEVICE W. Love, 962 Abbey Road, Birmingham, Mich.

Filed Feb. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 256,632 2 Claims. (Cl. 20-522) Thisinvention relates to sash balances and, in particular, to sash balancesfor removable sash windows.

Hitherto, self-locking automatically-releasing sash balances have beenprovided for double-hung removable sliding sash windows and these havebeen commercially avail- Ordinarily, however, these sash balances havebeen combined with vertically-elongated metal sash guides or channels inwhich each sash slides, the sash guide on one side of the window frameusually being resiliently mounted, such as upon compression springs, inorder to yield when the sash is pushed sidewise in that direction inorder to clear the opposite or fixedly-mounted. sash guide. Such priorinstallations, however, have been expensive to manufacture andconsequently costly to the ultimate consumer. The present inventionprovides a self-locking automatically-releasing sash balance in whichthe sash balance spring easing also serves as a sash guide and thereforegreatly reduces the expense of manufacture and consequently enables theinvention to be sold at a lower price than is the case with theabove-mentioned prior sash balances and sash guides.

Accordingly, lOllfl object of this invention is to provide a combinedsash guide and self-locking automaticallyreleasing sash balance forremovable sliding sash windows which is automatically locked uponremoval of the sash so that the sash balancing spring remains in itsattained tensioned condition when the sash is removed, regardless of thelocation where such removal occurs, replacement of the sash effectingautomatic releasing of the locking mechanism so that the sash balancingspring automatically reassumes its weight-balancing function uponengagement by the replaced sash, the sash balance spring casing alsoserving as a sash guide and weather stop for guiding the sash in itsvertical sliding motion while preventing the entrance of wind or rain.

Another object is to provide a combined sash guide and self-lockingautomatically-releasing sash balance of the foregoing character whereinthe sash balance spring casing itself is mounted directly upon thevertical side members of the window frame, thereby dispensing with theelongated vertical metal channel sash guides previously provided forguiding the sash in its vertical sliding motion, thus reducing themanufacturing cost of such installations and consequently reducing thecost thereof to the ultimate consumer.

Another object is to provide a combined sash guide and self-lockingautomatically-releasing sash balance as set forth in the objectimmediately preceding, wherein the sash balance spring casing on oneside of the window frame is fixedly secured thereto, but on the otherside thereof is resiliently mounted, such as upon compression springs,so that it can be pushed into a groove adapted to receive it during theoperation of removing the sash, so that the opposite side of the sashclears the fixed balancing spring casing and can then be swung outwardto remove the sash.

Another object is to provide a combined sash guid and self-lockingautomatically-releasing sash balance, of the foregoing character whereinthe vertical sash rails at the opposite sides of the sash frame aregrooved to slidably engage the sash balance spring casing as the sashslides up and down.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Gordon 3,183,559 Patented May 18, 1965 "ice , hung sliding sash windowinstallation equipped with a combined sash guide and self-locking sashbalance, with the sash inserted and in its unlocked and balancedposition;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 2-2 inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the construction seen at thelower left-hand corner of FIGURE 1, but showing the sash balance lockedin its locked position with the sash removed; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the line 44 in FIGURE3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 shows the left-hand side\of a double-hung removable sliding sash window installation, generallydesignated 10, according to one form of the invention, equipped with acombined sash guide and self-locking automatically-releasing sashbalance, generally designated 12, according to one form of the presentinvention, as mounted in the opposite vertical side frame members 14 and16 (FIGURE 2) of the window frame 18 of the installation 10. Verticallyslidably mounted in the window frame 18 upon the sash balances 12 arethe grooved side rails 20 of upper and lower sashes 22 and 24respectively of a double-hung sliding sash window, generally designated26, having window panes 28 and 30 respectively therein. The oppositeside members 14 and 1.6 of the window frame 18 are provided withvertical grooves or channels 32 and .34 respectively, the grooves 32being of considerably greater depth than the gr0oves 34 because the sashguides 12 attached to the frame member 14 are resiliently andretractably mounted for withdrawal into their grooves 32, whereas thesash guides 12 attached to the frame member 16 are xedly mounted andhence do not require retraction into their grooves 34. The window frame18 is completed by the top frame member 36 and bottom frame member orwindow sill 38 interconnecting the side frame members 14 and 16 at thetop and bottom thereof. Since the window frame construction isconventional, except for the grooves 32 and 34, the showing thereof isdiagrammatic and simplified in FIGURE 1.

Each sash balance 12 is provided with an elongated tubular casing 40 ofrectangular cross-section provided with an elongated slot 42 in itsfront wall 44 thereof and having side and rear walls 46 and 48respectively. The grooves 32 and 34 in the window frame side members 14and 16 have widths corresponding to the widths of the casings 40, thegroove 32 necessarily having a slightly greater width than the groove 34because of the necessity of providing sufficient clearance for theyieldably mounted sash balance casings 40 to slide freely into and outof the grooves 32.

The fixedly mounted casings 40 are secured in their respective channelsor grooves 34 by screws or other fasteners 59 inserted through the rearwalls 48 of the casings 40. The rear walls 48 are suitably drilled toreceive the screws 5% and the bottoms of the shallow grooves 34 arefurther configured as at 52 to receive the recessed portions 54 of therear walls 48 which in turn receive the heads of the screws 50. Asimilar construction is provided for the rear wall 48 of theresiliently-mounted sash guides 12, except that the screws 55 thereathave longer shanks in order to traverse the deeper grooves 32 in thewindow frame side member 14. The screws and are disposed at intervalsalong the vertical sash balance casings 49, as shown at the left-handside of FIGURE 1. The resiliently-mounted sash balance casings 4i)secured by the screws 55 to the window frame side member 14 are urgedoutwardly of their respective rooves bv helical 3 compressionsprings-56.. It will'be understood, however, that leaf springs may beused in place of the helical springs 56 for the same purpose, namely tourge the sash balance casings 40 toward and into frictional engagementwith shallow guide grooves 58 containing counterr grooves or grooveextensions 6t in the side rails of the sashes 22 and 24. The sash-rail20 which receives the fixedly-mounted casing 40 of the sash balance 12at-' tached to the window frame side member 16 is of similar depth andwidth to the similarly-numbered grooves and countergrooves 58 and 60 inthe side rail 20 which re-- the slot 42 in the front wall 44 forengagement and actuation in response to the insertion and removal of thesashes 22 and 24,-"as described more fully below. Several types of suchsash balance locking devices 68 have been developed and are on themarket, and the present invention is not confined to the use of anyparticular one. Such a sash balance locking device, for example, isshown in the HaasPatent No. 2,747,219, issued May 29, 1956, forSelf-Locking Sash Balance, and this is the type shown and describedherein forpurposes of illustration but'not limitation. I I

The sash balance locking device 68 consists of a generally L-shapedlocking plate carrier .70 upon which is rockably mounted a tiltinglocking plate 72 (FIGURES 3 and 4). The locking plate carrier 70 is inthe form of a plate having a vertical arm 74 equipped at its upper endwith a hole 76 for the reception of the lower loop 66 of the sashbalancing spring 62 and a horizontal arm 78 joining the vertical arm 74at an indentation or notch 80. The horizontal arm 78-projects outwardthrough the frontwall slot 42 of the sash balance casing 40 and isprovided with an inclined rearward edge portion 82 and a horizontalforward edge portion 84 joining one another at a transverse fulcrum edge87. The locking plate 72 is approximately rectangular having front andrear portions 86 and 88 separated from one another by side notches 90having sharp outer and inner edges 92 and 94 adapted to bite into theouter and inner surfaces of the front wall 44 on opposite sides of theslot 42. The neck portion. 96 which connects the front and rear portions86 and 88 is of slightly less width than the width of the slot 42(FIGURE 4) and the notches 9t) are of slightly greater width than thethickness of the front wall 44 of the sash balance casing 40 so as toslide freely past the front wall 44 when the locking plate 76 is in ahorizontal position (FIGURE 1) but to lock by indentation of the sharpedges 92 and 94 of the notches 99 when the locking plate 70 is in itsinclined position (FIGURE 3) resting upon the inclined edge 82 of thehorizontal arm '78 of the lock carrier 70. The rearward portion 88 ofthe locking plate 72 is provided with a notch 98 (FIGURE 4) of slightlygreater width than the thickness of the lock carrier 70 so as to looselystraddle the vertical arm 74 thereof and provide retaining lugs 1 00projecting rearwardly from the rearward portion 88.

The sash balance lock 68 is operated either by the bottom of the lowersash rail 102 which, with the upper sash rail'104 interconnects the sidesash rails 20 of each sash 22 or 24, or by lock actuators 108 mountedtherein. At approximately the level of the top of the bottom sash rail.102, the side rails 20 thereof are provided with ieces'se's or sbckets106 (FIGURE 1) drilled therein for the reception of the lock actuators108. Each lock actuatorlGS consists of a tubular casing iltl having sidewalls 112 engaging the sides of its respective'socket 106, a front wallflange 114 secured by a fastener 116 to the adjacent sash 22 or 24, anda rear wall 118 which serves as a spring abutment for a helicalcompression spring 120 mounted in the casing 110. The tubular casing 106is preferably of rectangular, cross-section and has in its upper wall anindentation forming an inwardly-projecting guide lug 122. The guide lug122. engages a longitudinal guide groove 1241 in the top of alock-actuating plunger 126 slidably engaging the interior of the casingllfi and having therein a socket 128 for the reception ofthe forward endportion of the. compression spring 120. The plunger 126 is provided witha nose portion 130 projecting into the sash counter-groove 60 and havingan inclined upper or cam surface 132 and a straight or hori zontal lowersurface 134 (FIGURE 1). The length of the nose portion 130 is such thatit will intercept and engage the forward portion 86 of the locking plate72, which projects into the countergroove 60 (FIGURE 2).

In the operation of the invention, let it be assumed that the lower sash24 has been raised a short distance above the sill 38 (FIGURE 1)and'thatthej nose portion 1300f the plunger 126 is above the lockingplate 72. When the sash 24 is pulled downward so that thebottom surface134 of the plunger 126 engages the locking plate 72, it rocks or, tiltsthe locking plate 72 around the fulcrumedge'87 from its inclinedposition on the inclined edge 82 (FIGURE 2) to its horizontal positionon the edge portion 84; This action releases the locking plate 72 fromengagement with the front wall 44 of the sash balance spring casing 40and causes the balancing spring 62 to exert a sash balancing pull openthe locking devices 68 which in turn transfer,

this through-the nose portions 130* of the plungers 126 of the lockactuators. 183 to counterbalance the weight of the sash 24 in the mannershown in FIGURE 1.

To remove the sash 24 from'its freely sliding position of FIGURE 1, theoperator pushes it sidewise to the left (FIGURES l and.2), therebypushing the spring casings 40 further into their grooves 32 against thethrust of the springs 56, and causing the guide grooves 58 to clear theright-hand or fixedly-mounted spring casings 4t). The op-' erator thenswings the right-hand side rail 20 of the sash toward himselfiand thenpulls the sash 24 away from the left-hand spring casing 40, icausing thesash 24 to become of the spring casing40. in response to thesharp jerkproduced thereon by the suddenly released upward pull of the balancingspring 62. As a result, the locking device 68 instantly locks the sashbalance spring 62 on each side of the window in its tensioned condition,and prevents it from springing upward toward the top of the window. Asimilar action occurs when the upper sash 22 is inserted or removed,hencea repetition of the description of the action is believed to beunnecessary.

What I claim is: 1. A self-locking removable double-hung sliding sashwindow construction comprising a window frame having parallel oppositeside members each of which contains a pair'of. laterally-spacedelongated parallel-sided outer and inner grooves disposed parallel toone another'with the grooves of each pair aligned withthe correspondinggrooves of the pair inthe opposite side member, upper and lower windowsashes disposed in spaced parallel relationship within'said windowframeand having side rails with parallel-sided grooves therein aligned withsaid outer and inner grooves respectively, an elongated parallel-sidedtubular sash balance lock casing seated partly within and partlyprojecting eX- ternally from each of said frame side member grooves intosaid sash side rail grooves in relatively-slidable guiding engagementtherewith,

each sash balance lock casing having an elongated slot therein facingits respective sash side rail and also having therein an elongated sashbalancing spring anchored at one end thereto, sash balance lock disposedwithin each casing and connected to the other end of its respective sashbalancing spring,

said lock including a casing-gripping element releasably lockinglyengaging its respective casing and a lock-operating member operativelyconnected to its respective casing-gripping element and projectingtherefrom through its respective casing slot into the path of travel ofits respective sash, said lock being responsive to the engagement ofsaid lock-operating member by its respective sash for release fromlocking engagement with its respective casing and responsive to thedisengagement of said lock-operating member from its respective sash forapplying said lock to said casing,

fasteners securing said casing to their respective frame ing mounted forsliding motion independently of one another within and transversely oftheir respective grooves,

and compression springs engaging said relatively slidably mountedcasings within their respective grooves and urging said slidably mountedcasings into relatively slidable guiding engagement with theirrespective sashes within the respective sash side rail guide groovesthereof, whereby the identical casings serve both for sash guidance andfor holding said sash balance locks while the slidably-mounted casingsare movable independently of one another within their respective groovesso as to self-alignedly adjust themselves to warping and other differingdimensional characteristics of said sashes.

2. A self-locking removable double-hung sliding sash Windowconstruction, according to claim 1, wherein the casings in the otherwindow frame side member are fixedly and immovably secured independentlyof one another by their respective fasteners in their respectivegrooves.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,264,020 11/41Dautrick et al 2012 2,796,630 6/57 Haas 2052 2,921,348 1/60 Nardulli2052 3,012,292 12/61 Brengman 2052 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, PrimaryExaminer.

1. A SELF-LOCKING REMOVABLE DOUBLE-HUNG SLIDING SASH WINDOW CONSTRUCTIONCOMPRISING A WINDOW FRAME HAVING PARALLEL OPPOSITE SIDE MEMBERS EACH OFWHICH CONTAINS A PAIR OF LATERALLY-SPACED ELONGATED PARALLEL-SIDED OUTERAND INNER GROOVES DISPOSED PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER WITH THE GROOVES OFEACH PAIR ALIGNED WITH THE CORRESPONDING GROOVES OF THE PAIR IN THEOPPOSITE SIDE MEMBER, UPPER AND LOWER WINDOW SASHES DISPOSED IN SPACEDPARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WITHIN SAID WINDOW FRAME AND HAVING SIDE RAILSWITH PARALLEL-SIDED GROOVES THEREIN ALIGNED WITH SAID OUTER AND INNERGROOVES RESPECTIVELY, AN ELONGATED PARALLEL-SIDED TUBULAR SASH BALANCELOCK CASING SEATED PARTLY WITHIN AND PARTLY PROJECTING EXTERNALLY FROMEACH OF SAID FRAME SIDE MEMBER GROOVES INTO SAID SASH SIDE RAIL GROOVESIN RELATIVELY-SLIDABLE GUIDING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, EACH SASH BALANCELOCK CASING HAGING AN ELONGATED SLOT THEREIN FACING ITS RESPECTIVE SASHSIDE RAIL AND ALSO HAVING THEREIN AN ELONGATED SASH BALANCING SPRINGANCHORED AT ONE END THERETO, A SASH BALANCE LOCK DISPOSED WITHIN EACHCASING AND CONNECTED TO THE OTHER END OF ITS RESPECTIVE SASH BALANCINGSPRING, SAID LOCK INCLUDING A CASING-GRIPPING ELEMENT RELEASABLYLOCKINGLY ENGAGING ITS RESPECTIVE CASING AND A LOCK-OPERATING MEMBEROPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO ITS RESPECTIVE CASING-GRIPPING ELEMENT ANDPROJECTING THEREFROM THROUGH ITS RESPECTIVE CASING SLOT INTO THE PATH OFTRAVEL OF ITS RESPECTIVE SASH, SAID LOCK BEING RESPONSIVE TO THEENGAGEMENT OF SAID LOCK-OPERATING MEMBER BY ITS RESPECTIVE SASH FORRELEASE FROM LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH ITS RESPECTIVE CASING ANDRESPONSIVE TO THE DISENGAGEMENT OF SAID LOCK-OPERATING MEMBER FROM ITSRESPECTIVE SASH FOR APPLYING SAID LOCK TO SAID CASING,